Authentic birria

Ingredients

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AmountIngredient
1kgBeef chuck roastin large 10 cm chunks
0.3tbspCoarse salt
0.3tbspBlack pepper
0.8tbspOlive oil
6Guajillo chilliesrinsed, stemmed and seeded
2.5Ancho chilliesrinsed, stemmed and seeded
2.5Árbol chilliesrinsed and stemmed
1Roma tomatoeslarge
0.3Yellow onionmedium
0.5Mexican cinnamon stick10 cm long
1.5Bay leaves
0.3tspBlack peppercornswhole
Wateras needed
238mlBeef broth
30mlDistilled white vinegar
2.5clovesGarlic
0.5tspGround cumin
0.5tspDried Mexican oregano
0.3tspGround cloves
To serve
AmountIngredient
Oniondiced
Fresh corianderchopped
Corn tortillas
Oaxaca cheeseshredded

Method

  1. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  2. Sear the meat in 2 batches until browned on all sides. Take the pot off the heat, put all the seared meat back into the pot, and set it aside.
  3. While the meat sears, put the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chillies, the tomatoes, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a medium pot. Cover completely with water and bring to the boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
  4. Move the softened chillies and all the other ingredients to a large blender with a slotted spoon.
  5. Add 240 ml of the chilli cooking water, the beef broth, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves. Blend on high for a few minutes until completely smooth. (Blend in 2 batches if your blender is not big enough.)
  6. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into the pot with the seared meat. Discard the solids that are left in the sieve.
  7. Stir the meat and the chilli sauce together and bring to the boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 3 to 3½ hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender.
  8. Move the meat to a large bowl and shred it with 2 forks. Put the meat back into the consommé.
  9. To serve: serve as a stew in bowls with diced onion and chopped coriander, or as tacos in corn tortillas with shredded Oaxaca cheese, coriander, and diced onion.